Pawtucket Shooting Victim Was Sacred Heart Football Star

PAWTUCKET, RI — A man shot and killed in Pawtucket over the weekend has been identified as 29-year-old Keshaudas Spence, an award-winning former student-athlete at at Sacred Heart University and the football program’s all-time leading rusher.

“It is with the deepest sympathy that we grieve the loss of our former teammate and brother Keshaudas Spence,” SHU head coach Mark Nofri said in a statement. “‘Shaudy’, as he was known to his teammates, was one of the greatest ever to wear a SHU football jersey. Shaudy was a great football player, outstanding teammate and an even better person. #33 will always be remembered as a Pioneer. RIP Shaudy. You will be missed.”

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Police responded to shots fired on Central Avenue early Saturday and found a vehicle stopped on nearby George Bennett Industrial Highway. They found Spence inside the car suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital.

Pawtucket police said that a second person was in the driver’s seat, but they haven't said if that person is under suspicion.

Spence graduated in 2015 with a degree in communications, according to Sacred Heart. He went on to play for the Green Bay Blizzard and Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Football League. WPRI has more details.

Police continue to investigate the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Craig Letourneau at (401) 727-9100 ext. 818 or cletourneau@pawtucketpolice.com.